ArcaMax

PITTSBURGH -- Valentine’s Day is traditionally a happy day full of love and romance. Yet the holiday marked by heart-shaped candy and red roses can also be hard for those who’ve experienced the death of a loved one and are still grieving.

That’s especially true for children, who often don’t know how to talk about their feelings after ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I are going on our eighth year of marriage. Last year, we experienced indiscretion for the first time -- to my knowledge, anyway. And as you can imagine, it was hard on us. My husband cheated on me with a co-worker. Apparently, it was a sort of work crush that spiraled. When I caught on, he claimed that they only ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a late-middle-aged gentleman who has been an atheist for about 35 years. I have been open about this fact, but do not advertise it carelessly.

Most of my family and dear friends are devoutly religious people who are aware that I am an atheist, and they frequently offer to pray for me or ask that I pray for them.

When ...Read more

Dear Annie: My friend of 20 years confessed to having a crush on her executive coach, which then developed into a flirtation, which then became a sexting affair. I have always known she is unhappy in her marriage, but I cannot condone cheating and have told her so.

She's also started vaping, pierced her nose, talked about buying a new car (...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am 67, and my husband is 68. For the past six years, we have been caring for aging parents. My father-in-law, who had Alzheimer's, passed away a few years ago. We went through a lot with him as his illness progressed. My mother-in-law is 87 and does not want to go into a nursing home. She still lives by herself, but my sister-in-law...Read more

Ongoing meaningful, goal-oriented work is the ultimate connection, the taproot into the world around you. By its very nature, it places you in the middle of a varied support group -- from the bank clerk who cashes your check to the salesperson who sells you clothes for the office to the people who work beside you. The routine of work itself is a...Read more

Dear Eric: I have two daughters that are estranged. I do not want to get in the middle of it, but it is getting ridiculous.

Daughter #1 did not want daughter #2 to marry her choice in husbands but she did anyway.

Now, a few years have passed and the situation is worse. Daughter #1 will not communicate with #2 and won't even acknowledge her new...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: Whenever I share a conflict, dilemma or even something IÕm skilled at with a particular friend of mine, IÕve noticed that she responds by overexplaining it back to me -- often as if I donÕt fully understand my own situation or abilities. For example, if I talk through a personal issue, sheÕll reframe it in basic terms, offer ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm fortunate to have had a dear friend ever since kindergarten. We were close all through school, and when I moved a few hours away for college and work, I would see her when I came into town to visit family. We stayed in touch and saw each other at least a few times a year. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding, and we have ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am 52 and I have a good life on paper. I am married, I work full-time, and I have two teenagers who keep me busy. But lately I have felt oddly lonely, and I am not sure if I am being overly sensitive or finally noticing something I have ignored for years.

I have a close group of friends from our kids' elementary school days. We ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am 57 and have never been married. I have had many relationships (some good, some bad). Although in the past I experienced heartbreaks, I am now open to meeting someone new.

I recently ended a relationship with "Bill," a man I met at a resort casino three years ago. I was happy in the beginning, until things started to take a turn....Read more

Dear Eric: My spouse and I are senior citizens, and we occasionally have small gatherings, or what I intended to be small gatherings. The last couple gatherings have turned into large gatherings due to other people being brought by the invited guests.

I know the uninvited people but as an acquaintance.

Neighbors that live on our block see the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend and I have been talking for a month now about booking a summer vacation together to Greece. I recently brought it up again, and she said that she canÕt go anymore because she booked a different vacation with a different friend. She didnÕt mention it beforehand or talk to me about possibly changing plans. She just said...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are in our 80s now, but we have been married only 20 years. This is a second marriage for each of us.

People are frequently asking us how long we have been married. I feel sure that they want to hear a good story about the cute couple being together for 60 years. After hearing our answer of 20 years, more ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been together for more than 30 years. In the beginning, we were the couple who couldn't keep our hands off each other. We smiled easily, held hands without thinking, and felt lucky just to be in the same room after a long day.

Somewhere between raising three kids, becoming grandparents, and moving into our ...Read more